Maize variety hybrid X7H246

Abstract

A novel maize variety designated X7H246 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety X7H246 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7H246 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7H246, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7H246. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7H246.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A seed of maize variety X7H246, produced by crossing a first plant of variety GE8072559 with a second plant of variety GE2120257, wherein representative seed of said varieties GE8072559 and GE2120257 have been deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-11797 and PTA-7042, respectively. 
     
     
       2. The seed of  claim 1 , further comprising a transgene. 
     
     
       3. The seed of  claim 2 , wherein the transgene confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, site-specific recombination, abiotic stress tolerance, altered phosphorus, altered antioxidants, altered fatty acids, altered essential amino acids, altered carbohydrates, herbicide resistance, insect resistance and disease resistance. 
     
     
       4. A converted seed of hybrid maize variety X7H246, wherein said converted seed is produced by crossing a first plant of variety GE8072559 with a second plant of variety GE771801; wherein representative seed of said varieties GE8072559 and GE771801 have been deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-11797 and PTA-7042, respectively; wherein at least one of said varieties GE8072559 and GE771801 further comprises a locus conversion; and wherein said converted seed produces a converted plant having otherwise the same phenotypic traits listed in Table 1 as X7H246 when grown under the same environmental conditions. 
     
     
       5. The converted seed of  claim 4 , wherein the locus conversion confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, site-specific recombination, abiotic stress tolerance, altered phosphorus, altered antioxidants, altered fatty acids, altered essential amino acids, altered carbohydrates, herbicide resistance, insect resistance and disease resistance. 
     
     
       6. A plant or plant part grown from the seed of the maize variety X7H246 of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       7. A method for producing a second maize plant comprising applying plant breeding techniques to a first maize plant, or parts thereof, wherein said first maize plant is the maize plant of  claim 6 , and wherein application of said techniques results in the production of said second maize plant. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein said breeding technique comprises:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with itself or another maize plant to produce seed of a subsequent generation; 
 (b) harvesting and planting the seed of the subsequent generation to produce at least one plant of the subsequent generation; 
 (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for an additional 2-10 generations to produce a maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , further defined as producing an inbred maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with an inducer variety to produce haploid seed; and 
 (b) doubling the haploid seed to produce an inbred maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246. 
 
     
     
       10. The plant or plant part of  claim 6 , further comprising a transgene. 
     
     
       11. The plant of  claim 10 , wherein the transgene confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, site-specific recombination, abiotic stress tolerance, altered phosphorus, altered antioxidants, altered fatty acids, altered essential amino acids, altered carbohydrates, herbicide resistance, insect resistance and disease resistance. 
     
     
       12. A method for producing a second maize plant comprising applying plant breeding techniques to a first maize plant, or parts thereof, wherein said first maize plant is the maize plant of  claim 10 , and wherein application of said techniques results in the production of said second maize plant. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said breeding technique comprises:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with itself or another maize plant to produce seed of a subsequent generation; 
 (b) harvesting and planting the seed of the subsequent generation to produce at least one plant of the subsequent generation; 
 (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for an additional 2-10 generations to produce a maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further defined as producing an inbred maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with an inducer variety to produce haploid seed; and 
 (b) doubling the haploid seed to produce an inbred maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246. 
 
     
     
       15. A converted plant or plant part grown from the converted seed of the hybrid maize variety X7H246 of  claim 4 . 
     
     
       16. The converted plant or plant part of  claim 15 , wherein the locus conversion confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, site-specific recombination, abiotic stress tolerance, altered phosphorus, altered antioxidants, altered fatty acids, altered essential amino acids, altered carbohydrates, herbicide resistance, insect resistance and disease resistance. 
     
     
       17. A method for producing a second maize plant comprising applying plant breeding techniques to a first maize plant, or parts thereof, wherein said first maize plant is the converted maize plant of  claim 16 , and wherein application of said techniques results in the production of said second maize plant. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said breeding technique comprises:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with itself or another maize plant to produce seed of a subsequent generation; 
 (b) harvesting and planting the seed of the subsequent generation to produce at least one plant of the subsequent generation; and 
 (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for an additional 2-10 generations to produce a second maize plant. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further defined as producing a second maize plant, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) crossing said first maize plant with an inducer variety to produce haploid seed; and 
 (b) doubling the haploid seed to produce an inbred maize plant derived from maize variety X7H246.